This invention relates to a visual and manipulative teaching aid kit used therewith to teach multiplication facts without rote memory.
There are several utility patents which utilize graduated rectangular and prismatic blocks as educational aids and teaching toys. The prior art provides visual and manipulative components that could benefit learners and teachers of mathematical enumeration, concepts and relationships. Some components of the art limit their contribution to one, or a few, uses while other inventions are presented as complete mathematical programs.
Kennedy, U.S. Pat. No. 1,305,724 proposed a visual teaching aid of a plurality of blocks which would increase or decrease in relation to a designated decimal-point block. This aid was limited to decimal-point concepts.
Quer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,836,870 proposed a game of interfitting blocks with numerical representations which would total ten when correctly placed in preset compartments of the games base. This game was limited to concepts totaling ten.
Thompson, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,355 proposed an "Education enumeration block assembly" in which the set of blocks are scored into unit divisions indicating the appropriate value and numeral to ten. The meaning of the numbers to ten also limits the value of this invention.
McCurdy, U.S. Pat. No. 2,663,096 proposed a set of ten square prismatic blocks of cubic units slotted according to the cardinal numeral each represented to serve as an "educational toy." An accompanying rectangular check sheet necessitated a horizontal enumeration of the said units. The concept of how many extends only to ten.
Pollock, U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,343 proposed a studying and teaching aid set of multicolored elements of graduated lengths in which selected elements were of the same primary color but in different intensities. The increasing lengths were limited to ten.
Smith, U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,388 proposed a teaching aid of rectangular blocks ranging from one to ten varying in length, arranged within a said box. The combination of numerals were limited to those totaling ten.
Bergener, U.S. Pat. No. 3,311,996 proposed a kinesthetic teaching aid of multicolored units of stairstep appearance ascending from one through ten as a teaching aid whereby the student physically ascends the steps. The graduated units did not extend beyond ten.
Stassen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,986 proposed another teaching aid of numbered blocks of cubic size proportional to the cardinal numerals to be mounted on a rectangular base. The blocks could be arranged to teach the concept of sets of numbers. The value of the sets was limited to ten.
Kelly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,585 proposed a combination of shapes and colors signifying positive and negative numbers to illustrate numbers to ten. The program may be used to teach sums and differences over ten but fails to provide specific multiplication facts attainment experiences.
Coddington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,794 proposed a metric block toy comprising a set of cubic blocks of ten centimeters square having legends indicating length, volume and mass. The invention is limited to metric system concepts.
Heretofore, prior art has failed to propose a set of graduated blocks with cubical units representing the products on which these multiplication facts, as well as an equal number of concrete objects, could be pictured and manipulated by students and teachers. None of the patents propose a teaching aid enabling the relationship within and between the factors and the products for an entire set to be known efficiently and without memorization.
Prior to this invention teachers have assigned repetitious rote memory training activities as the way for students to learn and know the multiplication facts. Many teachers, if not most, prefer meaningful, concept formation skills and knowledge to be attained through analysis and synthesis rather than just memorization.